If I did play the "be thankful" game, or whatever it is that our wonderful Louise Thompson would call it, this week I would be thankful that it's still stew season because Peter Gordon has reminded me about his cookbook Peter Gordon Everyday. It's a well-used book that I haven't dipped into for a while and I can't believe I have been through a whole winter without making his beef and cashew nut stew that was last year's favourite.Thank you Annemarie for your Ask Peter question that had Peter inspiring us with yet another fascinating tale - they are a constant source of inspiration in my kitchen and provide us with a huge amounts of entertainment too.

My father-in-law loves stews so the Peter Gordon beef and cashew nut has been made, a couple of portions devoured and the rest frozen ready to ship down to New Plymouth in time for his Father's Day dinner on Sunday September 7. The Bite team have been thinking Father's Day nice and early this year with suitably boy-sy recipes, below. My own dad who says "He's never met a roast in the middle of the day he doesn't like," would be feasting on his son's melt-in-your-mouth beef brisket if he wasn't wintering on The Sunshine Coast.

We'll enjoy it on your behalf, Dad, while bearing up against the ravages of winter in New Zealand.

A young Jo Elwin could be found reading cookbooks on the school bus and delighted in being the ‘kitchen helper’ at her mother’s dinner parties. Twenty years within magazine publishing, many involving food, has lead Jo to her dream job as editor of the NZ Herald’s weekly food magazine Bite and website bite.co.nz.